The implant dentist made me feel like getting dental implants was simple and that it would hardly impact my daily life. After meeting with him, I was convinced I’d be able to go back to work the day after the surgery. Well, to say I was wrong is an understatement.
There isn’t much that I remember from surgery day. I was heavily sedated and couldn’t feel anything from the anesthetic. Honestly, I don’t have any memory of the time at the dentist.
The days that followed were terrible. I was in no way prepared for the pain and all the bruising. I feel like I lost a boxing match. Now, I’m concerned that there was some further damage done during the surgery. If the implant dentist would have better prepared me, maybe it wouldn’t have been such a big deal. But, I feel terrible and likely will not return to work at all this week. Having some notice on the possibility of a slow recovery would have been nice. Does this sound normal? Or do I have something more serious happening?
-Ted in Michigan
Ted,
Well, the good news is that there shouldn’t be too much cause for concern. However, it doesn’t sound like the implant dentist prepared you very well for the possibility of bruising and pain after the procedure. Each patient responds to dental implant surgery different. Bruising doesn’t occur for everyone. But, it is a fairly common side effect. It doesn’t necessarily mean that anything was abnormal during the placement of the dental implants.
What to Expect After Dental Implant Surgery
Post-operative side-effects may include pain, swelling and sometimes bruising. Generally speaking, patients report that the second day after the surgery took place to be the most uncomfortable. Then, after that, you should begin feeling yourself again. Each day should be an improvement.
Taking a week off from work is probably a good idea. You are right in that the implant dentist should have better prepared you for what to expect. That may be some good feedback to provide the practice. Explain how you were surprised and inform them that having better recovery information would have helped. Hopefully, that will benefit future dental implant patients.
Concerns after dental implant surgery are:
- Pain that worsens
- Puss near the surgical site could indicate infection
- Fever
Also, healing is also highly dependent on your overall physical health. If you are a smoker, it is imperative that you try not to smoke or cut back drastically to avoid infection. Also, if you were given medication, like an antibiotic, be sure to complete it. Drink plenty of water and eat soft foods.
From what you have described, it doesn’t sound like much cause for concern at this point. Be in touch with your doctor directly if you have any worsening symptoms. And don’t feel bad about taking it easy for a few more days and maybe enjoying some ice cream.
Good luck!
This post is sponsored by Petaluma dentist Rick Lane.